LEATHERHEAD WAR MEMORIALS - WWI

Private Arthur Charles Toone
1st/5th Bn The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)

Town Memorial P9.R2.C3

Taken, Not Given, Liam Sumption, L&DLHS

Pte
Arthur C Toone
5th Royal West
Surrey Regt
Persian Gulf
Sept 25 1918

The Parish magazine issue of May 1915 lists a C.E. Toone in the East Surreys. They may have been related as Toone is not a common name. (1)

At the time of Arthur Toone's death in 1918, the 5th Queens were very much at peace. Turkey was on the verge of asking for an armistice, leave was being granted, two captured Turkish machine-guns had been given to the battalion as trophies in recognition of its services and a concert party of the 5th East Surreys (which recruited in Leatherhead) had just entertained its neighbours.

The War Diary entry for 25 September records no incidents of significance.

However the entry for the next day (26th) is rather curious. The first line, written in pencil, has been erased and left blank. Usually in logs and War Diaries an entry would be 'ruled through' and initialled if it was in error. The remaining impression could contain a mention of leave parties, but that is the author's assessment only.

However the first actual entry states simply "a Court of Enquiry was held to investigate the disappearance of Pte Toone of 'A' Company" - no more and no less.

The results of the enquiry are not appended to the Diary, nor is any mention made in the Brigade War Diary, to whom reports of the findings would have been sent!

Notes on sources
1. List in Parish magazine of St Mary and St Nicolas, Leatherhead: issue of May 1915 (courtesy of Mr L Anstee of the parish)
2. Records of Regimental Museum of the Queens, Clandon Park, Surrey.
3. File WO95–5193 War Diary of 5th Bn. Queens: Public Record Office, Kew, Richmond

Stop press
Parish Magazine issue of May 1918 [sic] states "drowned in Mesopotamia 25 September 1918".

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Further research

Private
TOONE, ARTHUR CHARLES
Service Number T/243596
Died 25/09/1918
1st/5th Bn. The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
Commemorated at BASRA MEMORIAL
Location: Iraq
Cemetery/memorial reference: Panel 6.

Liam Sumption referred to a Court of Inquiry into the death of Arthur Toone

War Diary 1/5 Bn The Queen's (RWS) Regt
MADHIJ

26th September 1918
General BROOKING held a conference after the operations.
The HITTITES gave a show at the Theatre.
A Court of Inquiry was held to investigate the disappearance of Pte TOON A Co.

source: 1/5th Bn The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regt War Diary for September 1918

The Report of that Court of Inquiry has not been found. However we do have a clue from the Parish Magazine:

Leatherhead Parish Magazine June 1919

His life

Arthur Charles Toone was born in 1880, in Leatherhead, Surrey

His father was William Toone (1845-1905), a Garden Labourer,  born Ashtead, Surrey, a son of William Henry Toone, a Labourer, and Mary.

His mother was Elizabeth Haseman (1856-1937), born in Stoke D'Abernon, Surrey, England, a daughter of George Haseman, a Shepherd, and Louisa Smith.

They were married on 11 April 1874 at St Giles, Ashtead, Surrey.

Arthur's siblings were Edward b abt 1872, William b abt 1874, Ernest b abt 1883 and Percy b abt 1884.

He married Caroline Jane Newport on 6 February 1915 at Christchurch, Fosbury, Wiltshire:

Arthur Charles Toone - 35 - Bachelor - Gardener - Leatherhead: Father - William Toone, Farm Labourer
Caroline Jane Newport - 34 - Spinster - Domestic Servant - Oxenwood, Fosbury [sic]: Father - Henry George Newport, Labourer

Caroline was born on 4 November 1880 at Oxenwood Shalbourne, Berkshire, a daughter of Henry George Newport and Harriett Wheeler.

It appears that they had no children.

He lived at:

1891 Census: Leatherhead Common, Kingston Road, Leatherhead Surrey
1901 Census: 2 Ewhurst Cottages, Kingston Road, Leatherhead Surrey
1911 Census: Ewhurst Cottages, Kingston Road, Leatherhead Surrey

After the war

His mother died in 1937.

In the 1939 England & Wales Register his widow Caroline was on her own at 23 Oxenwood, Wiltshire, "Unpaid Domestic Duties".

Her death was registered in Swindon, Wiltshire in October 1958.

the website editor would like to add further information on this casualty
e.g. a photo of him, and of any recollections within his family

last updated 11 Aug 20: 23 Dec 20